Reviews

The Duke's Accidental Wife by Erica Ridley

emartinet's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

kristi518's review

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3.0

Having read several of the books in this series I was anxiously awaiting Ravenwood's story. I was a little disappointed as I read this book because the story fell a bit flat for me. The characters in the book didn't seem as well developed as in the rest of the series.

Kate and Ravenwood are likable enough but they just didn't leap off the page at me. I didn't really find myself that interested in their story until well after the halfway point. They seemed a bit bland and one-dimensional. Ravenwood was a bit too brooding for my taste. Kate was independent and I found that to be refreshing.

The storyline was easily predictable and one I felt like I had read before. The author did add her own touches to the story to make it her own which was nice. I like her writing style and find her books easy to read.

All in all, this wasn't a bad book and my rating is really more of a 3 1/2 stars. This was a quick and easy read that wasn't too deep or thought provoking.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

kay_slayerofbooks's review

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5.0

4.5 stars

Katherine and the Duke of Ravenwood are complete opposites and they despise each other. Or do they? Their love story is sweet. The effort they each make in attempts to prove to the other that they are loved is touching. Almost makes me want to fall in love . . . Almost.

waclements7's review against another edition

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4.0

This is an honest review in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley.

3.5 stars. An enjoyable romance between two people who would never have chosen one another, but are perfect for one another. I liked the inclusion of Aunt Havers, and how she is treated with respect by her niece and husband. The way the relationship grows, with each individual learning to balance home and business life, and admiring the other's ability to do so as well, is refreshing. I was glad Katherine could continue with her passion after the necessity of marriage. Problems are easily solved, but that's sometimes really nice in a romance, and I had fun reading this one.

solaana's review against another edition

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Boy she got over her fear of having children quite quickly

lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition

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4.0

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Duke's Accidental Wife had a lot of sweetness inside, even if there was quite a bit of sadness as well, because the protagonists didn't really understand each other at first.

Review - (un)Conventional Bookviews

The Dukes of War series is a really good one, and I loved getting to know Ravenwood better! He has been quite present in the prior books in the series, and I thought he was a stuck-up bore. Alas, I was wrong, he really proved that he has a big heart and a lot of sensibility in The Duke's Accidental Wife. He wasn't only honourable and firm, he was also very loving - and lovable - as he took on Catherine. Whom he thought was a scandalous airhead he didn't have a single thing in common with. And of course, they were absolutely delicious together once they let go of their pre-conceptions.

I think the part I love the most about historical romances is that newly married couples actually have to find out after the fact whether or not they are compatible. The Duke's Accidental Wife brought that point home in a great way, as both Catherine and Ravenwood had very definite thoughts about the other - without having ever spoken to each other. And while both of them were kind of victims of gossip, they had both felt how hard it was to cope with people thinking of them in a certain way, they also didn't seem to think that applied to the other. Catherine had made up her mind about him being stuck-up and very strict, and he really thought she was just a frivolous young thing he would never have anything in common with. Seeing them proved wrong was delightful!

There was a lot of longing in The Duke's Accidental Wife, and it was very sweet to see the two protagonists longing for love, devotion, acceptance and understanding - while not being fully prepared to give those same things to the other. Once they opened up a little, they realized that they had both found a hidden treasure, and it was great to be along for the ride. Written in third person point of view, past tense, the omniscient narrator let the readers in just enough to keep some mystery, but also so we get to know the characters well enough to care about them. The many dialogues make the story better, and the hidden beauty of Ravenwood and Catherine is worth finding.

Fave Quotes - (un)Conventional Bookviews

He had always maintained a silent, retiring nature, but without his sister about to put her nose where it didn't belong, the only words spoken to him at home these days were Yes, Your Grace or Perhaps the blue waistcoat today.

If she were a man, perhaps her motley friends wouldn't have mattered. Lord Byron managed to be a poet and a baron. Brummell managed to be both a dandy and a debtor. For women, it was different. If one were an actress, the assumption was that she was also a whore.

This marriage might have been an accident, but it wasn't a mistake. Not if they worked at it.

kay_slayerofbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

4.5 stars

Katherine and the Duke of Ravenwood are complete opposites and they despise each other. Or do they? Their love story is sweet. The effort they each make in attempts to prove to the other that they are loved is touching. Almost makes me want to fall in love . . . Almost.

verityw's review against another edition

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2.0

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****

Hmmmm. So I thought this was ok. NO more than OK. I read the first few books in the series with varying results - my net opinion being "not terrible" and this is kind of the same - I didn't ever feel like I got a handle on why the characters were like they were and why they didn't like each other at the start. There were some timeline issues towards the end too
Spoilera piece of paper given to the heroine the previous evening is described as worn smooth by useage
which had me going back and checking up I hadn't missed something crucial. I don't think I'll bother to fill in the gaps.

SpoilerAlso this book confirms my dislike of plots involving women who don't want babies because it could kill them doing an abrupt about face when they fall in love with the right man. No satisfactory resolution to this - and so many pitfalls in the relationship between the h and H on the way there.

michellini90's review against another edition

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3.0

(Free ARC provided by Netgalley.com)

3.75 stars..... A fast and enjoyable read, although I like my stories to have more dialogue than what was given in this book. I felt like I was inside the authors head more than I was the characters. It just felt like overkill for the author to have to explain that much of what the characters were feeling. I wanted to feel them experience these emotions and different trials. Instead, I felt like a kid being read a bedtime story. One major thing that really got under my skin though is that, although the Duke refers to his actual name in his musings, we never hear him called by such. Not even by his wife and sister.

Now that I've gotten my complaining out of the way... when Aunt Havens went missing and when Kate decided she was going to give up her dreams to be a proper duchess, I have to tell you, I teared up... and not just a little. Blame it on the pregnancy hormones if you will, but I could picture my 80 year old grandmother sitting out in that pouring rain just like Aunt Havens.

I definitely saw major character growth with Katherine, but not so much with the Duke. I loved reading his journey, but I just felt like Kate was the one who really stepped up in her role, and therefore brought Ravenwood out of his shell. At the same time, I can understand the Duke's perspective. Having a large family of my own, and a man who has so many demands on his time and energy, I supported Kate in her decisions about handling the Duke.

I have 2 of the previous books in this series, and I can't wait to dive into them. I love reading books where the author isn't afraid for her heroine to just be a woman.

taisie22's review against another edition

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3.0

Kate Ross and the Lawrence Pembroke, Duke of Ravenwood, don't like each other much; she's too flighty and headstrong for the stern, organized Duke. Of course, they get caught in a compromising situation and are forced into marriage.
Kate doesn't want a husband, mostly because she's afraid of having children and them dying. Ravenwood secretly wants a family and true love so their marriage starts off a bit rocky. It takes a while and some compromise for them to finally learn about each other and get their HEA.
While I found it interesting that Ravenwood decided to give Kate time to come to terms with her situation and not try to seduce her into his bed before time, I also didn't feel much heat between the two. It seemed more like they decided to make the best of things, even though they were both so busy, they didn't spend any time together. I felt as if they were determined to fall in love with each other, and so they did which wasn't very romantic.
It's a good fast read, but not one of my favorites.